The General's Son
by Jen11
Summary: After David is sent home to live in the hell his father has created... *Sorry for the long wait between chapters! Chapter 7 is posted! *
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the television show Higher Ground.  
  
Author's note: I got this idea a few weeks ago but I wasn't sure if I should post it or not…It's about David going home, and the troubles/problems that ensue. I made some assumptions about his past since the show left some unanswered questions about what exactly happened to him…Please don't hate me for this! (~*~*~*~ means flashback) I don't know if i should continue or not, so please let me know!!! Please R&R!!!!  
  
Note to Lauren: Thanks so much for your help : ) It was (and will always be) VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!!  
  
Chapter One  
  
A bitter, cold wind swept across the Mt. Horizon campus, leaving behind an icy silence in its wake. The dark night sky was clear, strewn with a handful of stars. Dwight David Ruxton, called David, sat alone in the school's gazebo, his bare hands outstretched towards the bright fire that filled the vicinity with a soft light. His eyes had a distant, far- off look to them; his mind was lost in the world his father had locked him in for so long. A world without escape. The solemn teenager stared at the fire, his eyes filling with tears as his mind replayed raw, astringent memories.  
  
Looking around, he took in his surroundings. Suddenly, every detail became important: the harsh wind, the bittersweet smell of the pine trees, the bright stars in the sky. Everything. The sullen teenager hugged himself to keep warm as his mind continued to wander. As he mulled over more recent incidents, his mind stopped short at a conversation he had had that very day. It had been late afternoon, right after group…  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"David, can you come to my office for a few seconds please?" Peter asked quietly. David nodded, putting down his copy of John Grisham's 'The Client' to follow his counsellor out of the room.  
  
"What am in for this time?" David asked in his usual uninterested tone.  
  
"Nothing. I got a phone call from your Dad today." Peter answered, watching the teenager closely. At the mention of his father, David rolled his eyes and looked at the floor.  
  
"What did he want? A weekly progress report or something?"  
  
"Not exactly...David, he wants to take you home." Peter stated slowly to make sure David heard him.  
  
"This is a joke, right? He hates me, he couldn't possibly want me to come home." David replied in an effort to convince himself.  
  
"I'm not joking. He is coming to pick you up tommorrow."  
  
"What!?" David exploded suddenly. Peter jumped, startled by the boy's unusual behaviour. "You didn't argue, tell him I'm too messed or something?" David's eyes were wide with disbelief...Or was it maybe fear?  
  
"He was quite determined...He left me no choice but to agree."  
  
"Well that's the general for ya. Always getting his way." David closed his eyes for a few seconds as the information sunk in. "I guess I should get packing." He muttured, getting up to leave.  
  
"You're always welcome here David, if you ever need anything." Peter stopped him in the doorway. "You've come a long way, I'm proud of you."  
  
"At least somebody is." David answered, leaving before Peter could say anything more.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Wiping fresh tears from his eyes, David stood and walked slowly towards the Cliffhanger boy's cabin. Tommorrow would be a long day...  
  
  
  
TBC...  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** ******  
  
Should I continue??? Please review! 


	2. Honesty & Comfort

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Higher Ground. I own nothing!!!  
  
Author's note: Sorry for the delay, I've been studying like crazy for exams and I've been orking on another story a little...Please review!!! And thanks sooooooooooo much to those of you who reviewed the first chapter, you guys are the best!  
  
Chapter two  
  
The sun was barely over the dark green treeline when David stepped out into the early morning's mellow sunlight. Sleep had betrayed him, providing ample time for painful childhood memories to seep into the dark haired boy's head, leaving behind a sickening fear in the pit of his stomach.  
  
The light snow came down in pure white flakes, turning the Mt. Horizon campus into a winter wonderland. David walked slowly towards the docks, in hopes of cherishing his last day at the one place that really made him feel safe.  
  
Although he didn't necessarily feel loved - his group mated still pretty much ignored him - he did feel somewhat protected at the mounatin school he had grown to call his home. His mom's house had once provided a sense of safety, but that had faded fast, and the teenager had quickly found himself back where he had once been sent.  
  
The lonesome boy was surprised to see another figure sitting by the water. For the first time since David had met the beautiful girl sitting a few feet away, he hesitated. Choosing his heart over his mind, he ,ade his way towards the end of the dock.  
  
"Is this seat taken?" he asked hoping she wouldn't be mad that he had interrupted her time alone.  
  
Time alone was something the students selmdom got there - and something many of them dreaded. Being alone was maybe the scariest thing for some of the 'lost souls' that attended the school. Partly because they didn't want to remember why they were at the school in the first place, and partly because they were afraid to admit what unescapable truths lay inside.  
  
Daisy Lipenowski didn't even look up. She knew that voice well. Wordlessly she shuffled over to make room next to her. A small smile appeared on David's lips as he sat down next to the silent girl.  
  
"What are you doing up so early?" David questioned curiously. "Aren't you missing out on your beauty sleep?"  
  
"Outer beauty can only be possessed once beauty is within." Daisy replied wisely. "And besides, I'm not Juliette."  
  
David chuckled softly and stared at the water.  
  
"You never answered my first question." Once again, David's face was a mask of seriousness.  
  
"My dad is coming up for a visit in a week." Daisy answered softly.  
  
"At least you're not being sent home." David said, immediately regretting it.  
  
"What?" Daisy asked, startled by the boy's comment.  
  
"Apparently the General isn't satisfied with my progress thus far and has decided I would 'heal' better at home." David explained.  
  
"When are you leaving?"  
  
"Today."  
  
A thick silence settled around the two teenagers as the realization sunk in. David fiddled nervously with his coat zipper, staring intently at the water, as if it were the most interesting thing he had ever seen.  
  
"Are you coming back?"  
  
"Peter didn't say, but I doubt it." David paused. "Just when I was starting to be ok here, and everything was kind of good, my dad had to think of something to screw it up."  
  
"David I don't think he was tryi-"  
  
"Don't try to make things better for me, ok?" David interrupted. "I'm leaving and there's nothing anyone can do."  
  
"I'm trying to make it easier on myself David."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Once you're gone, nothing's going to be the same."  
  
"You're right. Everyone will be happy again."  
  
"I won't have anyone to make me laugh, and I won't have a date to this year's morp." Daisy elaborated, ignoring David's comment. This was something she had to say. There won't be anyone to make me feel good about myself, not the way you do."  
  
David sighed as Daisy leaned against his shoulder. Turning his head slightly, David pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, not bothering to wipe the small tears that skimmed down his cheek. Being that close to her, or even that honest and comfortable with her, was something that David had wanted for so long, yet the scene that loomed regardlessly in the future seemed to eradicate any possible happiness that could have been found in that moment.  
  
"I'll come back some day, I promise." David whispered into her hair.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Ok, I know that was short, and really bad, but I wanted to post something...Please review!!!! 


	3. Going Home

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Author's note: sorry again for the delay! Exams have been demanding my concentration and free time!  The song is by Blessid Union of Souls, and is called Standing at the Edge of the Earth. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!

Chapter 3 

            A deep silence lingered throughout the lodge like a thick fog.  The Cliffhangers stared at Peter in disbelief.  Although the news could have been expected, they were still shocked.

"You mean David's leaving today?" Juliette asked.

"Yes." Peter replied, unable to elaborate for he was at a loss of words.  Even though he would never let it on, he had a feeling he knew what awaited David at home, which only increased the sadness in his heart.

"I _am sitting right here, you know." David spoke up, angry that people were speaking as if he wasn't even there._

"Sorry." Jules' response was quiet, as she looked at the floor.  Something hidden inside, an undeniable truth that everyone in the room could sense was keeping them from looking the David in the eyes.  It was like they all knew…

_Are you searching for words that you can't find_

_Trying to hide your emotions but eyes don't lie_

Guess there's no easy way to say goodbye__

"Don't worry about it.  I'm used to being invisible." David hid his sorrow behind a smirk.  He was sick of being ignored; sick of the way it made him feel inside.  Maybe they hadn't been joking when his group-mates had repeatedly put him down.

            The silence had returned and David shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  Finally Peter spoke up.

"Well David, your father is going to be here any minute.  Why don't we head outside?" Peter suggested.  Slowly David rose to his feet, following his counselor outside.  He dragged his feet over the gravel of the driveway, praying that this was all a nightmare.  Placing his bags at his feet, he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.

So I'll be standing at the edge of the earth 

_Hoping that someday you'll come back again_

_I'll be standing at the edge of the earth hoping for someday_

"Are you ever planning on exhaling?" Daisy asked, half joking.  David looked in her eyes; surprised she didn't turn away like the rest of the Cliffhangers would.  Surprised to see tears.  He looked closer, catching a glimpse of the sadness in her soul.  Yet beneath the pain and heartache, there was the unmistakable silhouette of strength.  It was then that he knew that no matter what happened, no matter how much it hurt to leave; in the end he was going to be ok.

            The disheartening sound of a car progressing down the gravel road pulled David back to reality. The Cliffhangers watched the car come slowly towards them.  There was something about the event that lay ahead that seemed sadder than any other…more tragic.  The person who was least ready to go home was being thrown back into the nightmare they had never fully escaped.

_And I know this may be_

The very last time that we see each other cry 

_But whatever happens know that I'll…_

The car came to a slow halt, and General Ruxton stepped out.  A fake smile plastered on his face, he walked over to David.

"I'm happy you're finally going to get the help you need." The General said calmly.  David's amused, knowing look had left his eyes, leaving behind a pair of cold, blank pair of eyes.  "We should be going.  We have a long drive home." He continued.

            David's body went numb.  _Home.  Yeah right.  The closest thing he had to a home was Horizon…and he was being taken away.  Closing his eyes quickly, he repressed the hot tears that were fighting to surface.  He couldn't cry.  No, not here.  These people didn't need to see more pain.  He had to be strong.  Scott stepped up to the dark haired boy._

"Take care of yourself, ok?" the tall boy asked.  David just nodded, before being pulled into a strong hug.

"I have a feeling the General has other plans for me." David answered softly.  Scott just nodded his head in understanding.  There was nothing he could do.

_I'll be standing at the edge of the earth_

_Hoping that one day you'll come back again_

_I'll be standing at the edge of the earth hoping that someday_

_You'll come back to me_

_I'll be praying for whatever it's worth_

_Believing that one day you'll come back to me_

I'll be standing at the edge of the earth 

_Hoping for someday_

            As all the other Cliffhangers hesitantly hugged David goodbye, he was filled with regret.  Regret for not showing them the other sides of himself.  Regret for the things that would remain unsaid.  Ezra walked up to him.

"I'll miss you." He said calmly.

"Yeah, sure you will."  He paused. "Take care of Daisy for me?" David pleaded.

"Of course." Ezra nodded.  He would make it his mission to keep her safe.

Peter stepped forward.

"You've come a long way." He said.  "You have tools now.  Don't be scared to use them." He smiled down at his student.

"Thank you Peter." He said softly, flinching under his father's stern stare.  His every move was being memorized, criticized.

"Your welcome.  Feel free to visit anytime." Peter said a little louder, making sure David's dad had heard.

Glancing at Daisy, David prepared himself for what he thought would be the hardest goodbye he would ever have to make…Little did he know, there was a harder one looming in the future.

"Are you scared?" Daisy asked quietly.

"I'm fine and dandy."  He replied with thick sarcasm.  Daisy saw right through him, and offered her opinion.

"So in other words, you're terrified."

"Something to that effect." A soft whisper escaped David's lips as he stared at the ground.  Daisy reached over, and placing a hand under his chin, lifted his head so that their eyes were level.

"I believe in you." She smiled slightly.  David kissed her softly.

"Thank you."  David smiled weakly.

            Turning, David followed his father towards their car.  Not once did he look back, for fear of breaking down.  He swallowed.  He would not let his father win.

_Waiting for someday_

_Believing in someday_

_Praying for someday, I'll be…_

_Longing for someday_

_Clinging to someday_

_Cherishing someday, I'll be…_

_Thinking of someday_

Dreaming of someday 

_Wishing for someday, I'll be_

_Living for someday_

_Counting on someday_

_Knowing that one day…_

_I will see you_

Coming soon: David gets home, and while things fall apart at home, something terrible happens back at Horizon…

And the next (and possibly the last) chapter of Second Chances will be posted.


	4. Surprises

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the amazing TV show Higher Ground.  
  
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are the reason I write, so please continue to let me know what you think! My thanks go out to Bluebanana for telling me "the general's" name!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The car ride home had been a long one. An uneasy hush had hastily stifled any remotely pleasant thoughts that might have crept cautiously into David's mind. He had sat in silence, his head facing out the passenger side window, his eyes glued to the imaginary void that balanced in the sky and filled his heart. As the seemingly lifeless scenery became of increasingly familiar nature, one thought occupied David's entire being: the only place he would ever belong was Horizon.  
  
Getting closer to his old neighborhood, David shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew all too well that when his "home" came into view, he would be helplessly frozen to his seat. Suddenly, without warning or clue, the General spoke.  
  
"David, there's something I think you should know." He said sternly. David turned his head slightly to face his father, but couldn't bring himself to raise his eyes enough to actually look at him.  
  
"I was adopted?" David asked hopefully, and immediately regretted the comment. Yet surprisingly, his father didn't react.  
  
"No...I got remarried." The General replied, his voice quieter, with a tone David barely remembered from his childhood. The same tone he had used before David's world had come crashing down; the tone that was recognizable as one thing, and one thing only: love.  
  
"When?" David was barely able to speak. "When did this happen?" he asked when he had found his voice.  
  
"A month ago. Her name is Anne." There was a pause, as if Robert Ruxton was considering his next words, and choosing them carefully. "I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect." The General's voice was once again filled with its trademark severity. David bit his lip.  
  
"Like how you treated me and mom?" David asked, sarcasm dripping from his words like a thick slime.  
  
The blow to David's jaw came fast and hard, and he clenched his seat tightly, feeling the car swerve when his father hit him. The pain was greater than he remembered, swelling throughout his entire body. His jaw felt numb.  
  
"That must have been a record for you, Dad. Four whole hours without hitting me." He stated without hesitation.  
  
"Another comment like that, and the next one will be so hard you won't wake up until Tuesday." It was Saturday, and David cringed at the thought of the amount of pain he would be in.  
  
"It would be better than living through all those days." David muttered, feeling his father's glare drilling through his skull. He didn't dare look at him.  
  
Moments later the car pulled slowly into the Ruxton household driveway. David climbed slowly from the vehicle, his face still throbbing.  
  
"Get your bags." Robert ordered gruffly. David obeyed, his father's eyes observing his every move. "Remember what I said." He added as they stepped over the threshold and into the entranceway.  
  
"Annie, we're home!" Robert called. David flinched at his father's sugar coated tone of voice.  
  
Seconds later, a woman who looked to be in her late forties stepped into the entranceway. Her russet hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a red apron hanging from her neck.  
  
"You must be David." When she smiled, two perfect rows of pearl white teeth appeared, and her hazel eyes danced. David felt his Dad's elbow dig into his spine, and he swallowed.  
  
"It's nice to meet you." He said monotonously. His jaw burned with an intense pain as he spoke.  
  
"Why don't you take your bags upstairs?" Robert interrupted abruptly.  
  
Grabbing his bags, David strode up the stairs as quickly as possible. Already eager to get away from his new life, David stepped into his room and closed the heavy wooden door behind him.  
  
Everything looked the same as it had months ago when his father had initially taken to Horizon. The same bare white walls, an old wooden-framed bed by the window, a cluttered desk shoved into a corner. It all seemed so foreign to his mind; so different from Horizon. Horizon. The word echoed in David's mind like a distant and fading memory. He remembered Peter's words, and found himself questioning their meaning. How could he use his `tools' if he didn't know how to play the game?  
  
Collapsing onto his bed, David closed his eyes against the bright sunlight that poured through his window. He didn't know how it happened, but he was soon asleep. Unaware of the amount of time that had elapsed, the teenager woke to a light knock on his bedroom door. He sprang into a sitting position and pretended to be riffling through his bag for a misplaced possession.  
  
"Who is it?" He asked once he had calmed down enough to speak. The door opened a bit and a young blonde-haired head stuck through the small space. David frowned.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked in confusion. A pair of dark brown eyes stared at him in obvious wonder. "Do you want to come in?" David asked more gently.  
  
The door opened a little more, and a young girl dashed into the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
"I'm David," he said quietly. "What's your name?" he asked. The girl bit her lip.  
  
"Madison." She whispered.  
  
"Why are you whispering?" David asked, lowering his voice to the same quiet tone as hers had been.  
  
"I'm supposed to be having my nap." Madison replied matter-of -a-factly.  
  
"How old are you?" David questioned, unable to ignore his interest in the small, quiet girl. Madison simply held up five fingers in response. "Five? Wow, you're getting old!" David explained, hoping to get the girl to speak a little more.  
  
"Mommy says I'm a baby." The child replied, looking up at David with wide eyes.  
  
"Well you seem like a big girl to me." David replied. Madison beamed up at him.  
  
There was a pause as Madison climbed into David's lap. She leaned back against him, and David could feel the anger in his heart melt into a puddle.  
  
"Do you know who your daddy is?" David asked suddenly. He couldn't remember the last time he had used that word. Madison turned her face so that she could look up at him.  
  
"Mommy said I don't have a real daddy. She says Robert is my Daddy now." She answers softly. David cringed. His heart broke as he held the small girl against him. She was so small, so young, yet her life was already torn at the roots. He sighed sadly. Life was never fair.  
  
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. There were heavy footsteps on the stairs, and David felt Madison's small body tense up. There was a loud knock on the door, and David forced himself to be strong.  
  
"Who is it?" he questioned. The door opened abruptly and the general appeared in the doorway, casting a dark shadow throughout the brightly lit room, and on David's heart.  
  
"Come downstairs for dinner." He said harshly. "And bring the kid with you." He added. The dark haired boy could feel a tremble crawl through Madison's body.  
  
There was silence as The General disappeared in the direction he had come. Slowly David dragged himself off the bed, gently placing Madison on the floor. He stood, waiting for a few seconds, as he watched Madison walk out the door ahead of him. Quietly, he spoke the following words:  
  
"A shadow is cast, and the world grows dark."  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
Please let me know what you think! Praise, flames, I don't care! Just please, please, please review!!!!!!!! (Or email me at jd108@hotmail.com) 


	5. Two thirty am

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way affiliated with the television show Higher Ground. I own nothing, so please don't sue!   
  
**Author's Note:** I took a little time off to figure out where I want this to go, and what should happen next, etc. and now I'm back…Sorry for the wait!    
  
  


**Chapter 5**

  
  
  


The Earth's rotation seemed to have slowed to a bitterly lethargic pace, and so the days trudged on, each no different than the last. David's world became a boring routine, predictable yet calm. There was no more pain, no threats, and no excruciating violence; yet there seemed to be an unsettling tension that lingered in the silence. A tension that would pass through The General's eyes, like a silent warning that jarred the happiness, if only momentarily, to remind David of what had been pushed aside. A pain and anger that, if the wrong thing were to be said, a dark thought accidentally spoken aloud, could easily re surface.   
  
David spent his days in a sort of trance. Nothing seemed real to him. Everything was simply a prelude, preparation for the moment when it would start all over again. The pain, the yelling, the violence. It was all coming, you just had to wait for that single moment. The moment where the silence would be broken, when the tables would turn.   
  
So David would wait. Really, he had no choice. He would wait through the happiness, the smiles, the sugar coated conversations. He could feel it coming, like the distant siren of the police car that is about to come speeding into view, like the small rumble right before the earthquake. Like the calm before the storm...   
  
He spent his days playing with Madison, absorbing all the joy he could. It was a little weird at first, trying to play with a five year old. To force yourself to see the world through a pair of eyes that was so innocent, so unaware. It was almost like trying to enter a kingdom without the key to the front gate. A key that could only be found by those who saw the world as a wonderful place...a place where there was no pain, no anger, nothing of the world David knew.   
  
It was at two thirty in the morning, on the seventh day that David had been home, that his world came crashing down. The dark haired teenager was startled awake by the unsettling sound of the ringing telephone. The loud resonance shattered the peaceful silence that had settled within the house, lurching David out of the first calming and relaxing sleep he had enjoyed in a long time.   
The phone was picked up on the second ring, before a long, drawn out pause. Then, through the hush, David heard the soft, muffled sound of footsteps creeping down the hallway towards his room. David's heart seemed to stop beating as he waited in suspended fear for the inevitable. There was a pause, followed by a gentle knock on his door.   
A few seconds later the door inched open and David could just make out the outline of Anne's slim figure standing in the doorway, highlighted by the soft beam of moonlight that slipped between the curtains. "David, are you awake?" the question floated through the darkness as Anne hesitated before moving farther intothe room. She didn't want to intrude. "The phone is for you." she continued.  
David sat up slowly. 'Who could possibly be calling me at two thirty in the morning?' He wondered silently.  
"I'm awake." he replied, taking the phone from his stepmother and turning on the light next to his bed.  
David paused, waiting for Anne to leave the room before turning his attention back the communication device in his hand. "Hello?" he spoke quietly into the receiver, his voice still groggy from sleep.  
"David, this is Peter," the familiar voice on the other end sounded tired, and weak. Hopeless. Peter continued before David could speak. "There's been an accident. Something has happened to Daisy..."  
  


___________________________________________

  
Ok, that's it. Coming soon: pain...tears...a song by The Calling...hope...some other stuff that I can't mention now or it'll ruin everyhting for you. Anyway, please please please review or drop me a line at jd108@hotmail.com!!! Thanks for reading :) 


	6. a single tear...

**Disclaimer:** If I owned anything related to Higher Ground, do you think I would be writing fanfiction? (The correct answer to that question would be NO! I would be writing the SECOND SEASON!!! )   
  
**Author's Note:**Ok, you guys officially rock! Your reviews made me feel so special! Thanks soooooo much for your support and encouragement :) The song is "Full Of Grace" by Sarah McLachlan. It was going to be by The Calling, but I'm putting that in a different chapter, where it makes more sense..Oh, and I made up Stonyville hospital.   
  
**Note to anyone who likes The Calling:** Please email me at jd108@hotmail.com, I am desperate for other fans of The Calling to talk to!!!   
  


Chapter 6 

  
_

"If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all, then between the sand and stone, could you make it on your own?"

_

-from "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling

  
David sat completely and utterly still in the passenger seat of Anne's old, grey Honda. The seat's material was cold against his back, sending an icy shiver up his spine. The teenager's hands were numb with cold, but he didn't seem to take notice or care; his mind was in another world. Cold, far, unreachable. The only sound was the occasional ticking of the turning signal before Anne rounded a corner, slowly, with every turn, every meter, every mile that was accomplished, diminishing the seemingly endless distance between David and the Stonyville hospital. The consistent swish-swish rhythm of the windshield wipers resonated through David's mind as they pushed away the ever falling snow that landed to form a white blanket over the windshield.   
  


_ the winter here's cold, and bitter  
  
it's chilled us to the bone  
  
we haven't seen the sun for weeks  
  
_

  
David stared at the blanket of white, a feeling of comfort washing over him as the world was momentarily erased. For a nanosecond, he could breathe. His lungs filled with air, his head felt clear. But then the incessant swish-swish sound permeated his mind and, as could be expected, the inner peace was broken. The heart wrenching fear returned, and his mind reeled again into a void of terror.   


_ to long too far from home  
  
I feel just like I'm sinking  
  
and I claw for solid ground  
  
_

  
Stonyville Hospital's interior was a busy maze of hallways. The ceiling was lined with incandescent lights, and confusing, colorful lines marked the floor, intended to serve as a map. David walked as if in a trance, following Anne through the crowded, bustling hospital in search of Daisy. Neither one spoke. Patients and doctors passed by in slow motion as David stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway, his eyes focused on the figure lying on the single bed in room 114.  
  
Time froze.   
  
"David!" Peter's voice broke through the barrier that separated the teenager from the real world. The barrier that kept him sane.  
"W-what?" David's voice was distant and detached as he struggled to tear his eyes away from the room that stood before him.  
"It's good to see you again, and I'm glad you're here, but...well...There's some things we need to tell you before you can go in there." Peter continued. His voice had regained it's calming, controlled tone.  


_  
I'm pulled down by the undertow  
  
I never thought I could feel so low  
  
oh darkness I feel like letting go  
  
_

  
Slowly David shifted his gaze in Peter's direction. The small group of teenagers sitting in the open waiting room just behind his counsellor caught his eye. The Cliffhangers. His friends...his family, he thought...until their faces registered in his mind. Inexplainable looks of anger and a twisted sort of jealousy masked their faces as they watched him with cold eyes...  
  
"What do I need to know?" the dark-haired boy asked finally. He could deal with the Cliffhangers later.  
"You should probably sit down." Peter replied, pausing while David stumbled into a chair. Anne sat down next to him.   
"Is she going to be okay?" he asked the only question his mind could form.  
"As I explained to you on the phone, Daisy and her father got in a car accident on the way home for a week long visit. The car slid out of control on a patch of ice, crashing into a telephone pole before flipping into a ditch." Peter drew in a long, shaky breath. "Mr. Lipenowski hit the pole head on, killing him instantly."  
  


_ if all of the strength and all of the courage  
  
come and lift me from this place  
  
I know I could love you much better than this  
  
_

There was a pause as David registered the information for the second time that morning. He nodded slowly for Peter to continue.  
"Daisy was more fortunate - if you can even call it that. The doctors say she has a broken leg and hand, a head injury, and a large number of cuts and bruises." Peter's eyes shifted from David to the pale teenager who lay in room 114. "She's on a large amount of strong medication for the pain, so she may be..." Peter searched for the right words. "...a little out of it," he finished, focusing on David again.  
"Can I see her now?" David asked. He could no longer stand the pain in his heart, the sick feeling in his stomach.  
Peter nodded solemnly in reply.  
  


_ full of grace  
  
full of grace  
  
my love  
  
_

  
David stood up slowly, as if testing his limbs to make sure they were still functioning. He wouldn't have been surprised if he had fallen to a heap on the floor, unable to support himself. Carefully, on shaking legs, he walked into room 114, pausing somewhat uncomfortably in the entrance.  
"Why does he get to go in there first?" David heard Shelby ask Peter.  
Shutting his eyes, he tried desperately to tune out the rest of the world. Yet, despite his efforts, he considered Shelby's question. She was right, but he wasn't going to turn back now. Bringing his attention back to Daisy, he slowly pulled a chair next to her bed and sat down.  


_ so it's better this way, I said  
  
having seen this place before  
  
where everything we said and did  
  
_

He sat in silence for a few minutes, his eyes travelling slowly over her body, trying to absorb her pain. Her left leg was in a cast, as was her right hand. A white bandage was wrapped securely around her head, covering a dark, bloody gash on her forehead. Bruises were scattered over her body, dark purple and yellow in the harsh hospital light. As if sensing David's presence, Daisy's eyes fluttered open.   
"David?" she asked, struggling to turn her head so that she could look straight at him.  
"Yeah, it's me. It's ok, don't..." his voice trailed off as he touched her cheek gently, stopping her from turning her head.  
  


_ hurts us all the more  
  
its just that we stayed, too long  
  
in the same old sickly skin  
  
_

Daisy looked up at David, her eyes filled with a biting fear. Then she closed them, looking away as she struggled to keep the pain inside. The world was a cold place, and shutting down was something the Cliffhangers did all the time...it was the only thing they really knew how to do. But David sensed her retreating, felt her backing away. He shook his head only slightly, as if the almost unnoticeable action would stop her.  
"Dais, it's ok... It's just me...I'm here."   
David took her unharmed hand in his, squeezing it ever so lightly. Her eyes focused on his again, and it took all the strength he had to keep from breaking down. A small smile graised Daisy's lips as she closed her eyes again, peacefully this time. As the teenager drifted into a fitful sleep, a single tear slid down David's cheek...   
  


_ full of grace  
  
full of grace  
  
my love  
  
_

-*-*-*-*-*- 

  
**Author's Note:** Sorry this chapter was so...uneventful...and bad. It's a setup for the next chapters, which I promise will be more exciting. There will also be more dialogue in future chapters too...It's just that there are things (emotions, glances....hint hint) that needed to be explained. Anyway, thanks so much for reading! And if you have a minute (or even a few seconds!) could you tell me what you think???   



	7. Times Change

**Disclaimer:** If I owned anything related to Higher Ground, do you think I would be writing fanfiction? (No, I would be writing the SECOND SEASON!!! )   
  
**Author's Note:**Sorry about the several month wait between chapters! I was busy with exams, and practicing my clarinet, then I went to camp for a week, and then I went to Denmark for 3 weeks. Anyway, here is chapter 7!   
  
  
  
  


Chapter 7 

  


_ "Everything's so blurry, and everyone's so fake. And everybody's empty, and everything is so messed up..."  
_   
-Puddle of Mudd 

  
  
David sat in the hospital room for an hour, watching Daisy sleep as she held his hand loosely in hers. The only sounds were the piercing, irritating beeps from the electrocardiograph, and the muffled noise of the activities occurring outside the large, white-walled room. A light knock on the door distracted David from his thoughts. He glanced up for a moment, and then quickly back down at Daisy when he recognized the figure standing in the doorway.  
  
"Mind giving the rest of us a chance?" Shelby's words were not meant to be harsh, but David wasn't in the mood to analyze her tone of voice.  
  
About to give her a mean look, he caught himself just in time. Instead, he looked at her closely for the first time in what seemed like months. She hair hung loosely around her face, and the dark circles under her eyes stood out against her pale complexion. Wet tears gleamed on her cheeks as she stepped into the brightly lit room. The look that had invaded her eyes earlier was back, and in full force. David cringed at the pain he felt he had caused. The teenage boy stood slowly, giving in to the guilt gnawing at his heart. Shelby's request was only fair.  
  
"Sure." he muttered, daring to squeeze Shelby's shoulder as he walked by, leaving the room.  
  
As he took his seat in the ER waiting room, Anne handed him a cup of coffee. He stared at the dark liquid for a moment, then up at the Cliffhangers, who were staring at him with obvious envy. It was then that he began to understand their anger. Slowly he handed the paper cup back to his stepmother and moved to the seat next to Ezra.  
  
"She's going to be ok," he said, as if the practically meaningless words would reassure his former group mate. David felt a sick feeling invade his stomach as he realized what he was becoming. He was turning into the kind of person he hated, his own worst enemy. The type of person that the 'lost souls' at Horizon hated. They were hated not only because they were lying, but because they would never understand. Their words were spoken to reassure _themselves_, not those in need of comfort and safety. And certainly not those forgotten by the rest of the world, thrown away because they were hurting, some abandoned by those who were supposed to love them. Ezra regarded David with a look that would have been cold enough to freeze hell, but David's eyes were glued to the floor.   
  
"Maybe if you looked at me I'd be able to believe you." Ezra shot back coldly. At that moment, he had no patience for the easy way out. He wanted evidence, details, and proof...But most of all, he wanted the truth.  
  
David cringed at the truth in Ezra's comment, and silence swallowed his cold words as David gave up. There had been a time, not long ago, when he had promised himself he would never give up. But that had been different. He had been dealing with someone who didn't understand; someone who hadn't been worth the effort. His own father. Sometimes it was still hard for David to believe how isolated he was from his father. As a young boy he had tried so hard to meet the General's standards, to be the perfect child, or more accurately, the obedient soldier. But somewhere along the line, something had gone sour. Until that moment, there had been nothing David had wanted less than to become what his father wanted and expected...Now all he wanted was to have his real family back. The few people in the world who had accepted him were now turning away from him, just as the rest of the universe had done before them.  
  
Unable to deal with the uncomfortable situation any longer, David stood and walked away, hoping to leave his problems behind. As he wandered through the seemingly endless maze of hallways, his stomach grumbled, making him aware of his body's need for food. Ten minutes later, having had no luck, the dark haired boy settled for a chocolate bar from the nearby vending machine. Finding a fairly secluded chair, or as secluded as it could be in a hospital full of doctors, patients, and visitors, David sat down to enjoy his breakfast. Taking a bite of the sweet chocolate, he leaned his against the wall behind him and focused on the ceiling. The pain, anger and loneliness slowly seeped back into David's blood as he slipped into another world...   
  
***  
...He had been seven years old; too innocent to break the rules, yet too old to fall for his father's lies. He had waited in the cold hospital chair for hours, lost and alone in a maze of hallways and strangers. How he had found the secluded corner, he wasn't sure. It had started with a fight in the kitchen, and had ended with his mother in a hospital bed, having lost yet another battle with the monster who was David's father. Unable to stand the General's false comfort and afraid to let him get close, David had ran down the hall as fast as his small legs could carry him. His heart had pounded as he whipped around corners and ducked away from doctors. The child had soon found himself in a rather empty part of the large building, much like the one he was in now. And then it had happened.   
"I've been looking for you everywhere! What do you think you're doing, running away like that?" Robert Ruxton's voice had boomed through the hallways, echoing in the silence.  
David had just stared, paralyzed by fear, numbed by anger.  
"Answer me, god damn it!" Robert had stepped closer to the child, reaching out towards him. The General shook his son violently, yelling as he did so.   
"David! David aswer me!"  
***   
  
It took David several long seconds to realize that the yelling was not only in his mind, but in the real world as well.  
  
"David! David, are you in there?" Anne called softly, breaking him out of his nightmare. Weren't nightmares only supposed to occur at night?  
  
"What?" David asked, not meaning to be rude.  
  
"It's time to go."   
  
Swallowing hard, David pushed the memory back into his subconscious mind. Standing, he followed his stepmother back through the maze, in search of Daisy's room for a chance to say goodbye. What had happened to the world? There had been a time when his father's threats and beatings had not phased him. A time when he wasn't visiting his girlfriend in the hospital, receiving looks of anger, betrayal and sadness from the people he felt were his real family. A time when his life had been different, when the world had seemed so much smaller. But most of all, a time when he had been blind to the pain and heartache that had cornered into an unescapable world of fear.  
  
As he made his way down the crowded hallway, a single thought ran continuously through David's mind: Times change.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Thanks for reading :) , and sorry this is so short! 


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